However, as the Patriots’ site notes, the real question is whether Gronkowski can play 16 games. Gronkowski missed five games in 2012 and nine games in 2013, and his susceptibility to getting himself hurt has become a major problem in New England.

The Patriots would love to see Gronkowski stay healthy for 16 games and play the way he played the last time he was healthy for 16 games: In 2011, when he was healthy all year, he caught 90 passes for 1,327 yards and 17 touchdowns. If the Patriots can’t get that kind of production out of Gronkowski, their lack of depth at tight end will be a problem.

Guy has 42 touchdowns in 50 games in his career . Cant even be mad about him not being on the field cuz these have been serious injuries. The main reason why pats havent won a superbowl in the last 3 years because he wasnt there once. Would like to see him stay healthy and become one of the best tight ends in football

As a pats fan I hope he stays healthy … but as a football fan I hope he balls out he is a absolute beast when healthy he doesnt have the yards and td records for a tight end for nothing oh and he did those in his second year.. I hate when great players are hurt regardless of team

This situation surely makes me appreciate all that these guys have to go through on a daily basis. It’s a cut-throat industry and while some guys are fortunate to avoid the injury bug, Gronkowski’s talent has been overshadowed by his inability to stay healthy. It’s hard enough just to get there, but, then you have to do whatever it takes to stay there.

karma guys… your team has been a mirage… lucky to be in AFC East and AFC… if not for cheating, signing low life players others wont, and..playing in AFC.. would you have any rep at all..

Pats have been marketed well but are a truly classless org

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If Karma means going deep in the playoffs every year, I’ll take it. Better to have a shot.

Also, the Patriots have an 81% win percentage against their division since 2007, but they have a 76.2% winning percentage against the rest of the AFC (not including the division) in that time and 78.6% against the NFC. Not significantly better against their division. Only a few games.

The Patriots also have the best record against teams that made the playoffs during that stretch at 59.5% winning percentage. Indy is second at 53.8%, GB is third at 51.4% and the rest of the league is below 50%.

When you consider his two major recent injuries, I’m not sure how a label of being injury prone would really fit.

The hit that Gronk took on his knee would blow out the knee of absolutely anyone who received it, be they a glass doll or an iron horse. Knees do not take that blow.

Then you have a broken arm. Does he have extra brittle bones or something? That just seems like being in the wrong place at the wrong time, then coming back too soon and re-breaking it.

The injury prone tag might fit with regard to his back, since that was something he hurt in college, but to my knowledge it has not caused him to miss a single NFL game. He had a “clean up” procedure, since he was going to be out anyway, but as it was reported, it was not that serious.

While a lot of Patriots fans would prefer to see this guy sit out until he needs to warm up for the playoffs (which is when the “real” season starts) Belichick wouldn’t even consider it

“Football players play football” is his mindset – and he’ll play whoever is healthy enough to play in order to help him win as many games as possible, as soon as he can

While I’d prefer to see a healthy Gronk in the playoffs rather than home field advantage, given how bad the officiating has been (biased towards the home team) recently, I think Home Field Advantage is becoming increasingly important in the NFL when it comes to officiating.

Bullcharger,
You are 100 percent correct. The weak division crap is just uninformed nonsense from losers who are blinded by envy. Anyone who is an adult and knows anything about football doesn’t have to like winning teams that are not theirs, but should give them the respect that they have earned. The bottom line is that the Patriots have been one of the top teams in the league in this century and the numbers prove it.

TJ Ward took a page out of Bernard Pollard’s book. Has any player been involved in more serious injuries to opposing players than Bernard Pollard? They used to try and explain it away because he had a knack for making it look plausibly accidental, but Pollard is a student of how to hit and injure, and keep it within the level of deniability. The sheer number of injuries to quality players exposes Pollard for what he is. TJ Ward is of the same mold and he saw that was how Pollard stopped Gronk the season before (basically a low horse collar type tackle where he lands his hips on the ankle). Ward was less polished though. It was clearly a cheap shot. Those two injuries to Gronk can’t be helped by Gronk. The neck injury is an old college injury and has not been a regular season distraction. It is just the forearm injury that seems odd, but my guess is the stage was set for the break on a more physical play, and the blocking on the extra point was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He rushed back too soon because it obviously was not healed correctly. Hopefully he remains healthy but I have no idea how he can go forward and not see ghosts every time he catches the ball. That will be his challenge.

Gronk needs to be smarter ON THE FIELD. Don’t take the extra hits. Step out of bounds. That kind of thing. I say sit him the 1st 4 games. Pull him out of the game if it’s a late blowout. Save him as best as you can.